The United States and China may have agreed on a deal to prevent the social platform TikTok from being banned in the US—if you take US president Donald Trump’s word for it. After a long-awaited call between Trump and Chinese president Xi Jinping on Friday, Trump announced victory on Truth Social: “The call was a very good one, we will be speaking again by phone, appreciate the TikTok approval, and both look forward to meeting at APEC!”

As for any details on the agreement, good luck. Specifics around the shape and scope of the deal remain largely unclear as of Friday afternoon. More importantly, there’s been no official word from the Chinese government on whether it has agreed to the terms.

“China’s position on the TikTok issue is clear: The Chinese government respects the wishes of the company in question and would be happy to see productive commercial negotiations in keeping with market rules lead to a solution that complies with China’s laws and regulations and takes into account the interests of both sides,” says China’s official readout of the call, which was posted on the website of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The deal being proposed by the Trump administration involves Oracle, Silver Lake, and Andreessen Horowitz leading a group of investors to take a roughly 80 percent stake in TikTok’s US operation, according to The Wall Street Journal. Oracle, which has worked closely with TikTok since 2020, would continue to store US user data on its domestic servers. The new, US-controlled entity would use licensed technology from ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, to create a similar content recommendation algorithm to the one TikTok currently employs.

“Any details of the TikTok framework are pure speculation unless they are announced by this administration,” a White House spokesperson tells WIRED.

Key questions remain, for example, on how much control Oracle and ByteDance would each have on TikTok’s US data and algorithm. Trump’s Truth Social post suggests that he will meet with Xi again at the APEC Summit in South Korea in late October, meaning details could emerge after that.

On Thursday, during a joint press conference with UK prime minister Keir Starmer, Trump boasted that the US should receive a “tremendous fee plus” for brokering the TikTok deal. It’s not clear what fee he’s referring to—WIRED asked multiple White House officials, but none replied.

The White House also credited Vice President JD Vance—the top conduit between Silicon Valley billionaires and the West Wing—for playing a key role in the deal. A White House official told WIRED that Sean Cooksey, an adviser to Vance, was “at the forefront” of negotiations on behalf of the vice president.

US efforts to ban TikTok started during Trump’s first term in 2020. Months before he left office, Trump threatened to ban TikTok and another Chinese app WeChat. The Biden administration rescinded Trump’s executive orders on the topic but continued to scrutinize TikTok. The US congress eventually passed the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications (PAFACA) Act in April 2024. This gave TikTok two options: divest from its Chinese ownership before January 19, 2025, or risk a federal ban.

Other Smartwatches to Consider

The number of smartwatches on the market is staggering. I’ve tested models from Tag Heuer, Citizen, Montblanc, and many other fashion brands, but most of them are simply too expensive for what you get. Here are a few options I like.

Apple Watch Series 10 for $364: Thanks to watchOS 26, the 2024 Series 10 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) has many of the same features as the new Series 11, like hypertension notifications and Sleep Score. It has a thinner and lighter design with a larger screen than prior models, and it even got blood oxygen sensing back via a software update in August 2025. It’s too bad this one still has the 18-hour battery life. Avoid paying anywhere close to MSRP for this watch. If you can find it for under $300, snag it.

Google Pixel Watch 3.

Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

Google Pixel Watch 3 for $299: The Pixel Watch 3 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is seeing some steep discounts now that the Pixel Watch 4 has been announced. It’s a great smartwatch, with the caveat that it’s not repairable. (The newer model addresses that.) It features loss of pulse detection—cleared by the FDA for use in the US—which can be critical in saving someone’s life. Google also focused its fitness updates on running, enabling users to create custom runs and follow AI-powered run recommendations while getting feedback on cardio load—how hard your heart is working and whether it’s appropriate for your body. I strongly recommend you go with the 45-mm model, which doesn’t even feel that big. It simply delivers better battery life—just about 24 hours with the always-on display or a little more if you have it turned off.

Apple Watch Ultra 2.

Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

Apple Watch Ultra 2 for $700: The Watch Ultra 2 is still worth considering, just don’t pay anywhere near MSRP; otherwise, you may as well buy the new Watch Ultra 3. It can last several days of use, and has many of the same great features as the latest model, including better mics to pick up your voice, an 86-decibel siren to alert your position to anyone nearby, and precise GPS to better track your hikes (plus help you find your way back with the Backtrack feature). The screen can display topographic maps, but you cannot view offline maps without an iPhone.

Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Ultra 2025.

Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Ultra 2025 for $650: The 47-mm Galaxy Watch Ultra (7/10, WIRED Review) is the company’s Apple Watch Ultra and Garmin competitor, and it’s a solid first entry into the world of pricey, feature-rich, and powerful smartwatches designed for professional athletes. This is technically the 2025 model, which is identical to the 2024 version but comes with 64 GB of storage and in a new blue color. It lasts a little over two days on a charge because it’s a big 47-mm watch and can pack a beefy battery. There’s a titanium case and sapphire glass face, plus it’s rated to 10 ATM and IP68, so you can submerge it up to 100 meters underwater. The heart rate tracker is remarkably consistent with the Apple Watch Ultra 2, and the dual-band GPS delivers accurate mapping. The software isn’t as intuitive, and a few features are lacking when compared to other performance smartwatches, but this is a good start if you’re in the world of Android. If you don’t care for the blue or the extra storage, you can buy the 2024 model for hundreds less.

Samsung Galaxy Watch7.

Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

Samsung Galaxy Watch7 44 mm for $230: Samsung’s Galaxy Watch7 from 2024 is a little plain. This model debuted Samsung’s Energy Score and added updated sleep tracking capabilities. You also get FDA-cleared sleep apnea detection, though this isn’t a feature you’ll turn on all the time—it takes two nights to track, and afterward, you’ll get a note saying whether or not you show symptoms. This feature, along with the electrocardiogram and irregular heart rhythm notifications, is only available when paired with a Samsung phone. Otherwise, this watch functions well with any other Android. You can choose from two sizes, plus Bluetooth-only or LTE. I tested both sizes and found battery life frustrating compared to its predecessors. With the always-on display, I struggled to hit 24 hours with two tracked activities and sleep tracking overnight. With it turned off, things fared a little better, but I was still barely hitting a full day. You’ll have to baby the battery and utilize the power-saving modes. If you don’t care for the latest and greatest, you can save a lot of dough with the Watch7.

GPR-H1000.

Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

Casio G-Shock Master of G Rangeman GPR-H1000 for $500: It’s not for every event, but the Master of G-Land Rangeman (GPRH1000RY1A) looks great on my wrist, and I love that I only need to charge it about once a week. This is a G-Shock first and foremost. It has a durable, thick case and a comfortable strap. It’s a big watch. It also has six sensors and a built-in GPS. Connect the watch to your smartphone via Casio’s app, and you can get simple notification alerts, heart-rate tracking, activity tracking, and sleep tracking. That’s without mentioning other features like blood oxygen monitoring, compass, world time, altimeter, and barometer. I’ve compared the results to an Apple Watch Series 10, and for the most part, core metrics like heart rate, step tracking, and sleep are similar. I have had some data not show up in the Casio app for a few days, and many of these functions are slow to load on the watch. This would not be my first choice if I wanted a fitness-focused wearable—get a Garmin instead—but I like the ability to look at and track some of these metrics whenever I want. More importantly, I like having a G-Shock around my wrist.

Samsung Galaxy Watch FE for $250: The Galaxy Watch FE is a fine budget Wear OS smartwatch. The 40-mm Galaxy Watch FE has a smaller screen that doesn’t get as bright and sports a slower processor and a smaller battery compared to the Watch7 series. The health sensors are almost the same, and I got accurate results with heart rate and sleep tracking. The battery lasts just about a day, if not a little less.

OnePlus Watch 2.

Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

OnePlus Watch 2 for $245: This is last year’s OnePlus smartwatch, but it’s still available. It seems like a better value now that the OnePlus 3’s price has been jacked up. The 46-mm OnePlus Watch 2 (7/10, WIRED Recommends) runs Wear OS and lasts roughly three days on a single charge, a little more if you enable some power-saving settings. The health capabilities are lacking—there’s no fall detection or electrocardiogram—but there’s sleep tracking, and it’s pretty accurate. Some features, like heart-rate tracking, distance traveled, and steps, have mixed accuracy in my testing, which means you shouldn’t buy this smartwatch if you’re primarily using it for those functions. Also, consider the OnePlus Watch 2R, which you can snag for less cash. The differences are mostly around build quality. The screen doesn’t get as bright, it has an aluminum case instead of stainless steel, and there’s no sapphire crystal protecting the screen, so it’s less durable. However, this makes it lighter and more comfortable to wear.

Withings ScanWatch 2.

Courtesy of Withings

Withings ScanWatch 2 for $370: The ScanWatch 2 (7/10, WIRED Recommends) can pass for an analog watch. Its health-tracking feature set is comprehensive—you get heart rate monitoring, an electrocardiogram, blood oxygen measurements, and sleep tracking. Battery life is stellar too, as it can last up to 30 days with light use. (Heavier usage will see roughly 22 days before needing a charge.) The main problem is the tiny display on this watch, which is too small to read some notifications. The GPS is also connected, meaning it requires your phone to be tethered and nearby. There’s an optional Health+ subscription, but we’d advise against it, as it doesn’t offer much utility. The ScanWatch 2 comes in a 42-mm or 38-mm case size and doesn’t have the rich features and apps you’ll find on the likes of an Apple Watch, but if you want to monitor your health data—and you don’t want your watch to look too techy—this will do the job.

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With its sleek design and groundbreaking aerodynamics, the Airbus RACER isn’t just a prototype—it’s a symbol of Europe’s commitment to clean aviation.

Brice Makinadjian and Stephane Deport, both engineers at Airbus Helicopters, looked on proudly as a sleek blue-and-white helicopter zipped over the crowds at the Paris Airshow in June 2025.

Slicing through the air was the Airbus RACER (Rapid and Cost-Effective Rotorcraft), an advanced prototype designed to be faster, quieter and more fuel-efficient than conventional helicopters.

This high-speed, low-emission rotorcraft is redefining helicopter flight by blending the speed of an airplane with the agility of a rotorcraft—all while slashing CO₂ emissions by approximately 25% compared to a conventional helicopter of the same weight category.

How it started: A European team effort

The RACER’s roots go back to the EU’s Clean Sky 2 program (2014–2024), the largest research program for aviation ever launched in Europe.

This public-private collaboration between the European Commission and the European aeronautics industry funded the development of innovative, cutting-edge technologies to reduce the aeronautics sector’s environmental impact.

The support provided under Clean Sky 2 made it possible for the various components of the RACER—such as aerodynamics, engine integration and rotor systems—to be incrementally refined before being tested together in the demonstrator built by Airbus, a leading European aerospace company.

“This partnership has been fundamental,” said Makinadjian. “We could not have done this without European collaboration and support.”

The development of the prototype has involved over 40 European companies and research organizations from 13 countries. “We have access to the best of Europe,” said Makinadjian. “It is the European spirit at its finest.”

Cleaner future for European skies

The RACER is also part of Europe’s mission to make flying greener. Under the European Green Deal, the EU has pledged to become climate neutral by 2050, and aviation is no exception.

The EU’s Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy sets the goal of having zero-emission aircraft ready for market by 2035. This would mark a major step toward climate-neutral aviation and a cleaner future for European skies.

Why does this matter? As Axel Krein, executive director at the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking (2025–2035)—Clean Sky 2’s successor—pointed out, aviation is a powerhouse for Europe’s economy. It supports 13.5 million jobs and contributes over €1 trillion to the European economy. That is 3.6% of all jobs and 4.4% of Europe’s GDP.

For Krein, the importance of the RACER demonstrator for Europe is evident. Such new designs will help secure Europe’s aerospace leadership in the future.

“Currently, Europe has a market share of 58% of new civil aircraft worldwide, so Europe’s aviation leadership is strong. But it is not guaranteed,” he said. “Global competition and geopolitical shifts are threatening this leadership.”

Stealth and speed

After over 10 years in development, the new technologies being showcased in the RACER prototype could become an essential part of helicopter design over the coming decade.

The RACER’s sleek aerodynamic design and side-mounted lateral rotors give it a cruising speed of over 440 km/h—over 50% faster than regular helicopters.

One of the factors is the reduced air and wind resistance, or drag, as it moves through the air. This is 2.5 times lower than in other helicopters of the same weight.

“We have a lower drag than the smallest helicopters on the market today,” said Makinadjian.

The main rotor was redesigned, reducing its speed, to increase stability. At the same time, two wings were added at the sides with lateral rotors to provide forward thrust.

This means that the RACER can fly like an airplane in certain flight phases, using its wings and lateral rotors to glide forward, making it effectively a cross between a helicopter and a fixed-wing aircraft.

Eco-mode

The innovative Eco Mode system is another standout feature, similar to the start-stop function in modern cars, that will soon be tested on the RACER. Developed by Safran, the Eco Mode involves putting one of the two engines on standby during cruise flight, allowing the other to operate at a more optimal and energy-efficient power setting.

This mode of operation not only reduces CO₂ emissions and fuel consumption by around 15%, but also increases the distance that can be covered by the helicopter.

“We can fly at 350 km/h on only one engine,” said Deport. “But we also need to be able to restart the other engine instantly to keep it safe.”

Overall, the improved aerodynamics and innovative design allow the RACER to use 25% less fuel than slower, conventional helicopters. As the team gears up to begin testing the Eco Mode feature, they expect to achieve even more fuel savings.

In addition to commercial transport, the developers predict that the RACER could be ideal for emergency medical services and search and rescue operations because of its speed and efficiency.

“Emergency response helicopters need to be fast and noise reduction is key to perform operations close to inhabited areas,” said Makinadjian.

From cars to choppers

A total of 40 partners collaborated on the creation of the RACER. One unexpected partner in the RACER’s journey was KLK Motorsport, an SME from Germany specialized in high-performance mechanical engineering, lightweight structures and advanced composite materials.

Better known for its expertise in car racing rather than aerospace, KLK co-developed the RACER’s canopy—the sleek, enclosure over the cockpit that needs to handle airflow efficiently to optimize aerodynamics.

Their involvement highlights one of the RACER’s greatest strengths: the wide collaboration that went into its development, which brought in the expertise of major industry players, but also specialized SMEs and leading research organizations.

“Working with people outside aerospace is invigorating,” said Makinadjian. “The creation of new parts for car racing moves at lightning speed. When we told them they had five years to develop a ‘very innovative and light’ canopy, they were surprised,” he laughed. “In racing, everything needs to be delivered yesterday.”

Flying into the future

The RACER prototype took to the skies for the first time in April 2024. More than a year on, it has logged around 35 hours of flight time, but there is plenty more testing ahead.

Despite their deep involvement in the design, engineers Makinadjian and Deport have yet to fly in the RACER themselves. “Only eight people, besides the test pilots, have been able to,” said Makinadjian. “We’re still on the waiting list.”

Tests continue at the Airbus Helicopters’ headquarters in Marignane, near Marseille in southern France. Early results are encouraging. But Makinadjian and Deport are still working hard to finetune the technical details. For them, this is just the start.

What excites them most is simply being part of the journey. “If you’re an aerospace engineer, this kind of project only comes along once in a lifetime,” said Makinadjian. “To go from nothing to seeing your design take flight—it’s magical.”

As the RACER continues its test flights, it is not just pushing the boundaries of rotorcraft speed—it is charting the course for a new era of more fuel-efficient, smarter aviation in Europe.

This article was originally published in Horizon the EU Research and Innovation Magazine.