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iFixit's Galaxy Z Fold8 Teardown is a Preview of Apple's Foldable Challenges

13 Augustus 2026 om 22:28
Samsung launched new foldable smartphones earlier this month, including the Galaxy Z Fold8. If you didn't know it was a Samsung device, you might look at it and think it's Apple's foldable because it matches rumors about the iPhone Ultra so well.


The Z Fold8 is likely to be the closest competitor to the foldable β€ŒiPhone Ultraβ€Œ, which makes iFixit's teardown of Samsung's smartphone an interesting read. Will Apple's foldable have some of the same troubles as the Z Fold8, or has Apple solved the issues plaguing foldable smartphones?

Hinges have been a failure point on foldable smartphones, and it's a design problem Samsung hasn't been able to solve. The Fold8 has a dust-and-water ingress rating of IP48, so it's resistant to water, but not to dust. It's hard to keep dust away from a smartphone, and when dust gets inside, it gums up the hinge mechanism and it fails.


iFixit did a dust test on the Z Fold8, putting particulates in the hinge. It resulted in "truly awful crunching and grinding noises" and then the device stopped opening normally. Dust that made its way into the hinge did stay out of many of the sealed portions of the phone, but if a foldable smartphone isn't folding, there's still a major issue.

An IP4X dust rating means the Z Fold8 is resistant to particles 1mm in size and greater, but as iFixit found, many sand and dust particles are smaller than that. iFixit said beach sand measured 0.16mm, and the powder it used was 0.04mm.

Samsung used a new hinge design for the Z Fold8 and added a titanium-reinforced display structure that helps the screen open flatter, but it couldn't get rid of the crease entirely. Creases in foldables can become more visible over time as the device is opened and closed, and a recent Tom's Guide review said the crease in the Z Fold8 became more visible after just seven days.

iFixit was not impressed with the repairability of the Z Fold8, and it earned a repairability score of 4/10. The bezel around the inner display broke into pieces as it was removed, and there's no way to get to the hinge without removing the display. Batteries also aren't easy to replace because doing so requires removing the outer display. "It's an expensive, painful repair even when everything goes right," said iFixit.


The Z Fold8 has a tablet-like look and feel with a 5.5-inch screen when closed and a 7.6-inch screen when open. Most of Samsung's prior foldables have been tall and narrow, but this one is closer to an iPad mini, and its dimensions nearly match those rumored for Apple's foldable.

Apple waited to make a foldable iPhone because it wanted a device that had a minimal crease. Rumors suggest it is using a display panel created by Samsung Display and liquid metal for the hinge, along with optically clear adhesive to make the crease disappear as much as possible.

iFixit will likely do the same hinge test when the foldable iPhone comes out, and we'll know whether Apple "solved" the crease and hinge issue or will be dealing with the same problems. The foldable β€ŒiPhone Ultraβ€Œ will be introduced at Apple's annual September event alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models.

Google's new Pixel 11 Pro Fold has an IP68 dust-and-water-resistance rating with a gearless hinge design, so it will presumably fare better than the Z Fold8 in a dust exposure test. It launches on August 20.
This article, "iFixit's Galaxy Z Fold8 Teardown is a Preview of Apple's Foldable Challenges" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple Says iPhone X is Now Obsolete

13 Augustus 2026 om 22:16
Apple today added the iPhone X to its public-facing obsolete products list, according to an updated support document on its website.


When an iPhone becomes obsolete, it is no longer eligible for repairs or other hardware service at Apple Stores or Apple Authorized Service Providers.

Apple considers a product to be obsolete once seven years have passed since it stopped distributing the product. Apple stopped selling the iPhone X in September 2018, but the device remained available at select resellers for longer.

Released in November 2017, the iPhone X was the first iPhone with an OLED display and Face ID. The lack of a Touch ID home button resulted in the device having a more edge-to-edge screen with a notch for the front camera and Face ID sensors. The device featured a premium design with a glass back and a stainless steel frame.

iOS 16 was the final major software version compatible with the iPhone X. Apple continues to release iOS 16 security updates for the device.

Apple also added the 2018 edition of the 15-inch MacBook Pro to the obsolete products list.
Related Forum: iPhone

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Apple Opens Houston Advanced Manufacturing Center Ahead of Mac Mini Production

13 Augustus 2026 om 21:08
Apple today opened its Advanced Manufacturing Center (AMC) in Houston, Texas. It's located in the same Houston facility where Apple makes AI servers and will start manufacturing the Mac mini this year.


Small and medium businesses can visit the 20,000-square-foot facility for free training and educational sessions, taking advantage of interactive labs, tools, and equipment, including a holographic lab table. Apple says participants can learn the "same innovative processes" used to make Apple devices.
"In less than nine months, we have invested hundreds of millions of dollars into this Houston facility. We stood up a factory, started production, and shipped the first advanced AI servers off the line. Today, we're thrilled to open our new Advanced Manufacturing Center, a place where businesses, workers, and students can learn the same innovative processes that we use to make Apple's most groundbreaking products. And we're pleased to begin Mac mini production later this year," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "We believe in American workers and American ingenuity, and we are moving at an incredible pace because we want to build more than great products. We want to build the future of American manufacturing."

Apple experts will hold sessions on topics like advanced manufacturing principles for final assembly and design considerations for printed circuit board assembly, and lead interactive workshops that use the site's representative production facility and equipment. Apple says participants will learn to identify and adapt to production challenges in real time.

In the future, the AMC will offer hands-on training to local college students.

The location is part of Apple's pledge to spend $600 billion to support manufacturing in the United States. Businesses interested in visiting the AMC can sign up for notifications about future sessions on Apple's website.
Related Roundup: Mac mini
Buyer's Guide: Mac Mini (Don't Buy)
Related Forum: Mac mini

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iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra: When is the Next Apple Event?

13 Augustus 2026 om 16:11
It is now mid-August, meaning that Apple's annual iPhone event is just around the corner. Below, we take a look at when the event might be held this year.


This September, Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and an all-new foldable iPhone that will reportedly be named the iPhone Ultra. The regular iPhone 18, a lower-end iPhone 18e, and the iPhone Air 2 are not expected to be announced until around March 2027, as part of a new launch strategy.

Australian media outlet ChannelNews today published an "exclusive" report claiming that the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra event will take place on Tuesday, September 8. However, this date is questionable, as Apple has never held its iPhone event one day after Labor Day. Historically, there has always been at least a two-day gap between the holiday and the event, so it is more likely to fall on Wednesday, September 9 or later this year.

If the event were to fall on Tuesday, September 8 or Wednesday, September 9 this year, pre-orders would ordinarily begin on Friday, September 11. However, that Friday will mark the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, so Apple may want to avoid starting pre-orders that day out of respect. Perhaps for this reason, when the iPhone 6s event fell on Wednesday, September 9 in 2015, pre-orders began on Saturday, September 12.

It would be a lot smoother for Apple to skip the week of Labor Day and the 9/11 anniversary entirely and hold its iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra event the following week instead. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that the event will take place in the first half of September, which would make Tuesday, September 15 the latest possible date.

If the event falls on Monday, September 14 or Tuesday, September 15, then pre-orders would likely begin on Friday, September 18, and the devices would likely launch Friday, September 25. It remains to be seen if the iPhone Ultra is available at the same time as the iPhone 18 Pro models, but it might be limited to the U.S. at first either way.

Since 2020, iPhone event videos have been pre-recorded, but in recent years Apple has invited select reporters to the Steve Jobs Theater to watch the video in person. Afterwards, attendees receive hands-on time with the new devices.

The table below provides an overview of dates for the last six iPhone events, with 2020 being an outlier due to the COVID-19 pandemic.












































iPhone Series Announcement Date Event Date Delta (Days)
iPhone 17 Tuesday, August 26, 2025 Tuesday, September 9, 2025 14
iPhone 16 Monday, August 26, 2024 Monday, September 9, 2024 14
iPhone 15 Tuesday, August 29, 2023 Tuesday, September 12, 2023 14
iPhone 14 Wednesday, August 24, 2022 Wednesday, September 7, 2022 14
iPhone 13 Tuesday, September 7, 2021 Tuesday, September 14, 2021 7
iPhone 12 Tuesday, October 6, 2020 Tuesday, October 13, 2020 7

Related Roundup: iPhone 18 Pro

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Amazon Discounts Every 2026 MacBook Pro With Up to $500 Off

13 Augustus 2026 om 15:59
Towards the end of July, we began tracking major discounts on the 2026 MacBook Pro, with up to $500 off select models on Amazon. These sales are still available right now, and Amazon has even sweetened the pot for select devices with sales that are better than we saw during the July event.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

14-Inch MacBook Pro


Prices start at $2,259.99 for the 24GB/1TB 14-inch M5 Pro MacBook Pro, down from $2,499.00. Amazon is also providing $300 off the 15-Core/24GB/2TB model, as well as $500 off the M5 Max 26GB/2TB model, both of which are solid low prices in the wake of the recent price hikes.





16-Inch MacBook Pro


In terms of the larger display models, we're tracking discounts on all four models on Amazon. These start at $2,759.99 for the 24GB/1TB M5 Pro configuration ($239 off), and reach up to $4,499.00 for the 48GB/2TB M5 Max device ($500 off).






If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.




Deals Newsletter


Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!




Related Roundup: Apple Deals

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Apple TV Gains Classic Movies Collection

13 Augustus 2026 om 15:15
Apple has again added a collection of classic movies to Apple TV that subscribers can now stream at no extra cost.


The films are located in a new "Great Movies Available Now on β€ŒApple TVβ€Œ" carousel inside the β€ŒApple TVβ€Œ app. So far, free titles are showing up for subscribers in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, with the exact selection differing by country. In the U.S., 19 movies are available:


  • 21 Jump Street

  • Arrival

  • The Aviator

  • A Beautiful Mind

  • The Bourne Identity

  • Charlie's Angels

  • E.T.

  • Forgetting Sarah Marshall

  • Gone Girl

  • I, Robot

  • Looper

  • The Martian

  • Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

  • The Proposal

  • The Rookie

  • The Sixth Sense

  • Titanic

  • Zodiac

  • Zoolander



Other countries such as the United Kingdom appear to have much smaller collections of movies, with only six titles available.

These licensed titles sit alongside Apple's own catalog, which now includes more than 300 original productions.

It is not clear whether this is a lasting change to the catalog or a short-term feature. Apple added 51 licensed films under a "Great Movies on β€ŒApple TVβ€Œ+" label in March 2024, then followed up with roughly 30 more titles the next month, and neither run lasted more than a few weeks.
Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)

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'iPhone Ultra' Could Face Staggered Market Rollout, US Only at Launch

13 Augustus 2026 om 14:56
Apple's upcoming foldable "iPhone Ultra" may see a staggered country-by-country launch over several months, with initial availability limited to the U.S. market, according to an Australian publication.


In a report labeled "exclusive," ChannelNews said today it has been told by local carriers and one major retailer that Apple's first foldable iPhone will be a "no show" when the iPhone 18 Pro models launch in September, despite being unveiled together. Instead, Apple will release the book-style device in the U.S. market first, followed by key markets including China over two or three months.

The staggered launch is said to be due to supply setbacks and "pricing problems." The publication's sources also claim that Apple is "having testing issues with production models that have already been built."

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed last month that Apple would unveil its first foldable iPhone at the same time as the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, but that iPhone Ultra pre-orders would start at a later date than the latter models.

Kuo said manufacturing challenges have limited early production, but this is the first time we have heard that a staggered country rollout could be another consequence of continuing supply issues.

Vision Pro All Over Again?


It wouldn't be the first time Apple has launched a new product in a staggered manner. When the Vision Pro launched in February 2024, it was only available in the U.S. initially. The headset was later launched in China, Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapore in June, followed by Australia, Canada, France, Germany, and the UK in July.

The reasons for the Vision Pro's staggered launch came down to low volume production, retail store readiness, and the fact that it was an entirely new category for Apple. All three could arguably apply to the company's first foldable.

Multiple reports have suggested the iPhone Ultra's production has faced hurdles because of the complexity of the device, with the hinge structure and display durability testing having been the principal bottlenecks. However, those issues were thought to have been resolved during trial production at Foxconn, with Apple subsequently raising its order to around 10 million units, up from 7-8 million units for the year, according to Nikkei Asia.

That said, 10 million units amounts to only a third of Kuo's forecast of 20-22 million units for iPhone 18 Pro models this year. Meanwhile, Kuo still believes Apple's supplier will ship only 7-8 million foldable iPhones in 2026. At such a relatively small number, Apple would presumably struggle to stock 40+ countries on launch day.

It's worth bearing in mind that a staggered market launch is a claim made by the report's sources, and remains uncorroborated. Either way, we should know for sure soon enough. The iPhone Ultra's unveiling is only a matter of weeks away, and we're expecting it to feature an inner display of around 7.7 to 7.8 inches, a 5.5-inch cover screen, a thickness of roughly 4.5mm, and a starting price above $2,000. Apple's iPhone event is most likely going to happen on Tuesday, September 8 or Wednesday, September 9.
Related Roundups: Apple Vision Pro, iPhone Fold
Buyer's Guide: Vision Pro (Neutral)
Related Forum: Apple Vision Pro

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Apple Closing Basingstoke Store as Nearby Reading Location Expands

13 Augustus 2026 om 13:54
Apple today confirmed that its Apple Festival Place store in Basingstoke, England will permanently close in November 2026, while a nearby store in Reading undergoes a major expansion and will reopen with a new design in the following month (via 9to5Mac).


Apple The Oracle will become the closest replacement at around 18 miles from the old Basingstoke location, with Apple WestQuay in Southampton roughly 30 miles away and Apple Bentall Centre about 35 miles away as the next closest alternatives.

Apple Festival Place opened in August 2011, while Apple The Oracle first opened in the Oracle Shopping Centre in June 2011, so both stores are marking just over 15 years in operation as one closes and the other is rebuilt. Apple Festival Place will continue operating normally until November, and its staff will have the opportunity to move to Apple The Oracle or another location once it shuts.

Apple The Oracle is due to reopen in December with the features found in Apple's newest stores, including an experience room for trying out certain products, a dedicated Genius Bar, an Apple Pick Up area for collecting online orders, and free Today at Apple sessions.

The closure and rebuild are part of Apple's ongoing plan to open, relocate, and remodel dozens of stores worldwide. In the UK alone, Apple relocated its Touchwood store in Solihull to a much larger unit last summer and expanded its Trafford Centre store near Manchester earlier this year, while Apple Birmingham is said to be getting a series of upgrades.

The Basingstoke closure follows a more contentious round of U.S. store closures earlier this year, when Apple permanently shut three retail locations, including Apple Towson Town Center in Maryland, the first Apple store in the U.S. to unionize.

Apple opened 11 new stores and relocated 17 more with updated designs worldwide over the past 18 months. Including new locations in Miami and Downtown Detroit alongside a recent revamp of its UK flagship store on Regent Street in London.
This article, "Apple Closing Basingstoke Store as Nearby Reading Location Expands" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Base iPhone 18 Tipped to Get These Two Pro-Level Upgrades

13 Augustus 2026 om 12:02
The base iPhone 18 model that Apple is expected to release by March 2027 will be equipped with 12GB of RAM, up from 8GB in the iPhone 17, according to analyst Jeff Pu.


Pu's latest assessment, if accurate, would see the iPhone 18 gaining the same amount of memory as the iPhone 17 Pro models. Analyst Dan Nystedt claimed the same RAM upgrade for the iPhone 18 back in April.

That said, their predictions conflict with the most recent report on the subject from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who said both the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e would have only 9GB of RAM. This would prevent the devices from supporting some Apple Intelligence features.

However, Pu agrees with Kuo that the lower-cost iPhone 18e – also coming in the spring – will come with 9GB of RAM, based on his own sources and supply chain information. Both models are expected to be powered by the A20 chip.

Interestingly, Pu additionally believes that the regular iPhone 18 will feature a narrower Dynamic Island. Most of the rumors about a smaller Dynamic Island have pertained to the iPhone 18 Pro models, but Chinese leaker Ice Universe has also claimed the smaller Dynamic Island will be adopted across the iPhone 18 lineup.
Related Roundup: iPhone 18
Tag: Jeff Pu
Related Forum: iPhone

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WhatsApp Now Lets You Save a Contact's Username

13 Augustus 2026 om 11:10
Following its username feature rollout, WhatsApp is now letting users save a contact's username when they add their name and phone number. The username field is shown between the first and last name fields and the phone number section.

You can add a new contact in WhatsApp by tapping the + button in the navigation bar of the Chats tab. According to WABetaInfo, when usernames become more widely available, WhatsApp will populate the username field automatically when users create a new contact from the chat info screen.
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Apple's 2026 Back to School Offer is Now Live Across Europe

13 Augustus 2026 om 10:42
Apple's annual Back to School promotion is now live in the United Kingdom and 18 other European countries: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Turkey.


The European launch follows the company's back-to-school promotion rollout in the United States and several other regions and territories last month.

The offer is aimed at college students and educational staff and includes a gift card worth up to Β£120/€120 with the purchase of an eligible Mac or iPad. Turkey is the exception, where buyers of eligible Macs and iPads can choose a four-pack of AirTags at no additional charge, or they can pay extra for various AirPods models or (when purchasing an iPad) an Apple Pencil Pro.

Note that the MacBook Neo is not an eligible product in any of the countries, and the iPad mini, entry-level iPad, and desktop Macs are excluded too.

The promotion runs through to October 22, 2026.
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Apple in Talks to Pay Publishers for News Content to Power Siri AI

13 Augustus 2026 om 02:03
Apple has approached publishers to establish content deals that would give Siri AI access to current news and information, reports The Wall Street Journal.


Apple is proposing multiyear agreements where publishers would receive payment when their content is used, which is different from standard AI deals. Typical deals between AI companies and news organizations have set fees for broad content access. Apple has discussed a nine-figure budget for the payments.

The Wall Street Journal says Apple previously inked deals that included AI training rights. Apple has also worked with publishers for its Apple News+ service since 2019, though some publishers were unhappy with the content deals and ended their partnerships.

β€ŒSiriβ€Œ AI is set to launch this fall in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27. β€ŒSiriβ€Œ AI is a major departure from the prior version of β€ŒSiriβ€Œ, and Apple has an incentive to ensure accurate news headlines. An iOS 18 notification summary feature turned out to be an embarrassment after Apple Intelligence generated false headlines that misled users. Apple ended up removing news summaries for more than a year while it made improvements.
Tag: Siri

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Supreme Court Lets Apple Delay App Store Fee Fight for 24 Hours

13 Augustus 2026 om 01:21
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan today granted Apple a one-day stay in its legal fight with Epic Games, giving Apple more time to outline the fees it wants to charge developers for linking out to purchase options on the web.


Just yesterday, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California denied Apple's request for a stay in the proceedings, giving Apple 24 hours to deliver its fee proposal. Apple then submitted an emergency filing to the Supreme Court, arguing that fee calculations should be paused until the justices hear the case and make a decision on the contempt ruling. If the contempt ruling is thrown out, fee proceedings won't be necessary.

Bloomberg says the short stay is meant to give the high court more time to consider Apple's request. Without the pause, Apple would have needed to submit its proposed fees to the court by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday. Apple now has until 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, unless the Supreme Court gives the company a longer reprieve. Kagan already denied a similar stay request earlier this year.

The fight over fees is part of an ongoing dispute with Epic Games that started in 2020. Apple won the initial legal fight and wasn't declared a monopolist, but the company was ordered to change its anti-steering rules to let developers link to non-App Store purchase options. Apple did so, but charged fees that were almost identical to standard App Store fees.

β€ŒEpic Gamesβ€Œ accused Apple of violating the injunction, and the court agreed. Apple was found in contempt of court for willfully violating the original ruling, and barred from collecting fees on links in the U.S. β€ŒApp Storeβ€Œ.

An appeals court ruling upheld the contempt decision, but said Apple was due reasonable fees for its intellectual property. The case was sent back to district court to determine what a reasonable fee might be. Apple then appealed to the Supreme Court, and the justices agreed to hear it.

Apple wants the Supreme Court to throw out the contempt ruling, negating the order barring it from collecting fees and the subsequent appeals court order mandating reasonable fee calculations. Apple has argued that regulators worldwide are watching to see what a U.S. court considers a reasonable rate, so fee proceedings set a reference point even if the contempt ruling is thrown out.

Apple has not collected fees from link-outs in the U.S. since April 2025, and the company would rather continue to collect no money while it exhausts all appeals than have the court establish a rate.
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Google's $100 Pixel Price Hike and Trade-In Push Hint at Apple's iPhone 18 Pro Plans

13 Augustus 2026 om 00:48
Google raised the price of its latest smartphones compared to last year, and the increase may hint at what Apple will do with the iPhone 18 Pro models.


All of Google's Pixel starting prices are $100 higher than they were last year.

  • Pixel 11 - $899, up from $799

  • Pixel 11 Pro - $1,099, up from $999

  • Pixel 11 Pro XL - $1,299, up from $1,199

  • Pixel 11 Pro Fold - $1,899, up from $1,799


The 41mm Pixel Watch 5 is now $399, up from $349, and the 45mm model is now $429, up from $399.

With the price hikes, Google increased the base storage for some of its devices, which Apple did with the iPhone 17 Pro. The Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro now start with 256GB instead of 128GB, so pricing is technically the same as last year's 256GB model. The Pixel 11 Pro XL and Pixel 11 Pro Fold started with 256GB last year and still do, so those devices have straight price increases.

Google also cut RAM in some models to mitigate costs. The base Pixel 11 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro XL have 12GB RAM instead of 16GB RAM. Last year, all Pixel 10 Pro devices had 16GB RAM, but this year, Pixel users need to pay at least $1,219 for 11 Pro and $1,419 for the 11 Pro XL to get 16GB RAM.

A customer buying the Pixel 11 Pro will now pay $100 more for a 128GB storage increase and 4GB less RAM than the 10 Pro last year.

Google is heavily emphasizing trade-in offers, which has the effect of distracting customers from the price increase. Google's product page lists trade-in discounts before actual pricing, stating the Pixel 11 Pro is priced "From $499" with trade-in, while the Pixel 11 Pro XL is "From $699." Purchase pages for the new devices don't even reveal full pricing for a chosen model until a customer declines a trade-in. Google also shows carrier discounts and monthly payment options.

Apple already focuses on trade-in offers and monthly financing when launching new iPhones, but whether it will go as far as Google remains to be seen. Apple recently announced the Apple Upgrade program in partnership with Klarna, offering fee-free 12-month through 36-month payment plans for purchases.

Google told Engadget that despite the decrease in RAM, this year's models will perform faster than the comparable 2025 models.
Pixel's full stack approach allows us to optimize the way on-device models load and execute, keeping our hardware lean, fast, and highly responsive. In fact, through software and silicon optimization, you can expect faster and smoother performance from this year's Pro models when compared to last year's comparable 256GB SSD SKUs.

Analysts think the β€ŒiPhone 18 Proβ€Œ models could be up to $300 more expensive than the iPhone 17 Pro models, but Apple also negotiated lower prices for other components, which could help absorb some of the increased price it has to pay for RAM.

Both Apple and Google have been affected by memory price hikes that Apple CEO Tim Cook likened to a "100-year flood." He said there have been "exponential increases in memory prices," leading the company to raise the cost of its iPads and Macs. Memory chips for consumer devices are in short supply because chip manufacturers are prioritizing chips for AI data centers. The lack of supply has caused RAM prices to skyrocket.

iPhone prices have not increased yet, even though other manufacturers like Samsung have raised prices. Multiple rumors suggest iPhones will be more expensive starting in September. Apple could use the same tactic as Google and increase base storage while hiking prices, but so far it doesn't look like the company will lower the amount of RAM in the Pro models.

The β€ŒiPhone 17 Proβ€Œ and Pro Max already start with 12GB, and Apple likely can't make major changes without impacting the Apple Intelligence and Siri AI features it is rolling out this fall.
Related Roundup: iPhone 18 Pro

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Google Kicks Off Fall Hardware Season With New Pixel 11 Smartphones

12 Augustus 2026 om 22:59
Google today announced new products that compete with Apple devices like the iPhone and the Apple Watch. There are new Pixel smartphones with AI capabilities, a new foldable, and new wearable devices.


Pixel 11 Pro Fold


The Pixel 11 Pro Fold is thinner and lighter than the prior-generation Pixel Fold. It has a 6.5-inch OLED display when closed, and an 8-inch β€ŒOLEDβ€Œ display when open. When unfolded, it's 5.1mm thick, and when closed, it's 10.2mm thick.


The Pixel 11 Pro Fold and other new Pixel models have a "HiLight" feature with LED lights around the flash. HiLight glows in different colors for incoming calls or when talking to Gemini. Other features:

  • Thinner bezels

  • Up to 2,000 nits brightness for HDR and 3,600 nits peak brightness for the inner display, 120Hz refresh rate

  • Obsidian and olive colors

  • Glass fiber composite back cover that Google says is "nearly impossible to crack"

  • Gearless hinge with larger bend radius and thicker glass layer for better durability

  • Improved crease performance

  • Faster charging speeds and 4,806mAh battery

  • 2nm Tensor G6 chip with 16GB RAM

  • 48-megapixel main camera with larger sensor, 10.5-megapixel ultrawide camera, and 10.8-megapixel telephoto camera with up to 30x zoom


Pricing on the Pixel 11 Pro Fold starts at $1,899, and it can be pre-ordered from the Google Store.

Pixel 11 Pro and Pro XL





  • 6.3 or 6.8-inch display

  • 3,600 nits peak brightness

  • Anti-scratch Gorilla Glass Victus 2 cover glass

  • HiLight LED feature

  • Matte glass back

  • 50-megapixel wide camera, 48-megapixel ultrawide camera, 48-megapixel telephoto camera with up to 120x zoom

  • 42-megapixel front-facing camera

  • 8K video recording

  • 2nm Google Tensor G6 chip with up to 16GB RAM


Pricing on the Pixel 11 Pro starts at $1,099, and pricing on the Pixel 11 Pro XL starts at $1,299. Pre-orders are live now.

Pixel 11





  • 6.3-inch display

  • 3,000 nits peak brightness

  • Gorilla Glass Victus 2 cover glass

  • 40 percent thinner camera bar

  • 48-megapixel wide camera, 13-megapixel ultrawide camera, 10.8-megapixel telephoto camera with up to 30x zoom

  • 2nm Google Tensor G6 chip with 12GB RAM


The Pixel 11 is priced starting at $899 and it can be pre-ordered now.

Pixel Watch 5


The Pixel Watch 5 uses the same round display Google's smartwatches are known for, with an improved 3,000-nit brightness level. There are new watch faces and complications, including new generative watch faces.


The device has more accurate GPS route tracking, more accurate sleep tracking, new Gemini integrations, and personalized strength coaching. It has context-aware updates on the watch face, surfacing info when it's needed. Raise to Talk engages Gemini, with core actions done on-device.

There are new one-handed gestures for confirming, selecting, and sending content, which are similar to some of the gestures available on the Apple Watch. Google says the Pixel Watch 5 can detect when the wearer stops breathing and can summon help with a new breathing emergency detection feature.


The Pixel Watch 5 is priced starting at $399.

New Software Features



  • Gemini Intelligence - Google says Gemini Intelligence can do more multistep tasks across apps. There's a new Rambler voice input feature that removes filler words and corrects run-on sentences, and a sign-to-text feature that supports American Sign Language. There are new location-based insights that show you info based on where you are, and contextually relevant suggestions in text conversations.

  • Magic Capture - One tap records video that the Pixel edits, crops, and unblurs into a collection of images and video.

  • Camera Looks - Mirrors the iPhone's Photographic Styles feature, letting users choose an aesthetic (Natural, Shadows, or Vanilla) at the point of capture.

  • Circle to Search - Circle to Search works in the Camera viewfinder, so you can circle something and get AI info on it.

  • Live Translate - Google's new devices translate videos and audio in real time.

  • Health Guardian - An AI Health Guardian monitors insulin resistance trends, blood pressure patterns, and sleep breathing quality trends.


Pixel Tag


Google also debuted a $29 Pixel Tag that competes with the AirTag. It links to the Google item tracking network that leverages Android devices to find items. It has much of the same feature set as the β€ŒAirTagβ€Œ, with details available in our full article.


More Info


Google's new product lineup will launch on August 20, just a few weeks ahead of when Apple will unveil its latest smartphone models. We're expecting Apple to announce the iPhone 18 Pro, β€ŒiPhone 18 Proβ€Œ Max, foldable iPhone Ultra, and new Apple Watch models.

More on the new announcements can be found on Google's website.
Tag: Google

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Google Unveils $29 Pixel Tag to Take On Apple's AirTag

12 Augustus 2026 om 20:52
Google today introduced the Pixel Tag, its answer to Apple's AirTag. Pixel Tag is Google's first item tracker, even though Google implemented an item tracking network two years ago that's been used by third-party devices.


The Pixel Tag is made from stainless steel, and it is IP67 water- and dust-resistant. There's a built-in speaker that can play a sound when an item it's attached to is lost, and a button that causes a sound to play on a connected smartphone. An on-device button is one feature that distinguishes the Pixel Tag from the β€ŒAirTagβ€Œ.

Pixel Tags have an oval shape instead of a round shape, and they don't come with an attachment point and like the β€ŒAirTagβ€Œ, require an add-on accessory for adding to keys or bags. Like the β€ŒAirTagβ€Œ, the Pixel Tag uses a replaceable battery that lasts for up to one year. It works with Android devices running Android 9 or newer with Bluetooth 6, and can be tracked in the Find Hub app.

Google added Bluetooth and Ultra Wideband to the Pixel Tag, so it supports a precision finding feature when an item is lost nearby but out of sight. The Pixel Tag supports many of the same functions as the β€ŒAirTagβ€Œ, like alerts when an item is left behind and the option to share item location with multiple people.


The β€ŒAirTagβ€Œ relies on Apple's Find My network when an item is out of range of its owner's device, and Google has a similar system. The Find Hub network taps into more than a billion Android devices for locating items.

Google has the same protections as Apple, and Android devices send alerts when an unknown tag is detected traveling with you. Unknown tracker alerts are cross-platform thanks to a collaboration between Apple and Google, so iPhone users will get an alert if a Pixel Tag is nearby and vice versa.

Google plans to sell Pixel Tags for $29 for one or $99 for four, which is the same price as the β€ŒAirTagβ€Œ 2. Pixel Tags will launch in November 2026.
Related Roundup: AirTag
Tag: Google
Buyer's Guide: AirTag (Buy Now)

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Apple Wallet Could Soon Save Trade-In Quotes for 90 Days

12 Augustus 2026 om 20:07
Apple appears to be developing a retail trade-in system that would let customers save a trade-in offer to the Wallet app for up to 90 days, based on code seen by MacRumors.


References to the system were found in an update to Apple's Guide app. Guide is used by Apple employees, Apple Authorized Resellers, and other sales organizations during conversations and product demonstrations with customers.

One string in the app says: "You can add this trade-in offer to your Apple Wallet. It will be valid for 90 days."

Other strings indicate that an employee could display a QR code for the customer to scan with their iPhone. "To save this offer, simply scan the QR code with your iPhone's camera," another message says. The app also has localized "Add to Apple Wallet" buttons for dozens of regions and languages.

The Wallet pass appears to be the final step in a broader trade-in workflow added to the app. Code references describe checking whether a device is eligible, scanning or entering its serial number or IMEI, answering questions about its physical condition, and running Apple Diagnostics. The system can then retrieve quotes from trade-in vendors and generate a Wallet pass for the selected offer.

Apple has also added references to a "TradeInKit" framework, along with server endpoints for device eligibility, diagnostic sessions, trade-in pricing, and Wallet pass generation. Both the overall trade-in feature and the Wallet pass option appear to be controlled by server-side switches, so their presence in the app does not mean they are live for employees or customers yet.

A trade-in offer valid for 90 days would give customers a longer window than Apple currently advertises for online trade-ins. After a trade-in estimate is generated, Apple has to receive the device within 14 days to ensure the customer gets the estimated value.

Given the current 14-day limit, it's possible the unreleased system could be intended for a different kind of transaction. A customer visiting an Apple Store could have a device evaluated without immediately purchasing a replacement, save the resulting offer in Apple Wallet, and return within 90 days to use it. The Wallet pass could make the offer easier to retrieve than an email or paper quote, while giving customers more time to decide whether to upgrade.

Apple's code does not say whether the value displayed in the Wallet pass would be guaranteed for the full 90-day period. Apple's current trade-in terms allow a quote to be revised when the inspected condition differs from the customer's description, when an activation lock has not been removed, or when a device is not returned within the required period. The new code also includes warnings for device lock states and indicates that trade-in values may be provided through Apple's existing third-party trade-in partners.

Apple has not announced Wallet-based trade-in offers or a 90-day price window. The feature could remain an internal test, and its implementation or terms may change before any wider rollout.
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Apple Hires Airline Exec as Vice President of Government Affairs

12 Augustus 2026 om 19:51
Apple hired former American Airlines executive vice president Nick Gatten as its new vice president of government affairs, reports Bloomberg.


Gatten will take on some of the duties of senior vice president of government affairs Katherine Adams, who is retiring at the end of 2026. Gatten will report to Apple senior vice president and general counsel Jennifer Newstead, with Adams to remain available in an advisory role until October 1.

Bloomberg says Gatten is a Republican that Apple felt would be able to align with the Trump administration while also working with democrats. He previously worked at Fannie Mae where he managed a team that interfaced with Republican members of Congress, and he oversaw government affairs at JPMorgan Chase & Co. and American Airlines. He is also on the board of the Faith and Politics institution, an organization that "cultivates mutual respect, moral reflection, increased understanding, and honest conversation among political leaders." From the article:
At the same time, Apple sees Gatten as someone who can work constructively with policymakers on both sides of the aisle, the people said. That will be especially important if the balance of power shifts in Washington. Democrats are vying to take control of at least one chamber of Congress in midterm elections in November, and Trump has less than 2 1/2 years left in his term.
Gatten will work closely with Tim Cook in his new role. Cook plans to step down as Apple CEO on September 1, with hardware chief John Ternus to take over. Cook will remain on as executive chairman, engaging with policymakers and governments worldwide.
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iPhone 18 Pro: Apple Secures Lower Display Prices Amid RAM Shortage

12 Augustus 2026 om 19:21
Apple has secured lower prices for OLED displays for the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro models, according to industry sources cited by South Korea's DealSite.


For example, the report said Apple will pay LG and Samsung around $68 per OLED display destined for the iPhone 18 Pro Max, down significantly from the $110 to $120 that it paid those suppliers for each iPhone 17 Pro Max display.

Apple is said to have made an aggressive push for lower display prices due to the ongoing memory chip shortage, resulting from companies building out powerful AI data centers. The supply-demand imbalance has led to skyrocketing prices for RAM chips used in devices like the iPhone, leading to increased production costs for Apple.

South Korea's The Elec first reported on these negotiations last month.

By securing lower costs for some non-memory iPhone components, such as displays, Apple can partially offset the rising costs of RAM. Even still, the iPhone 18 Pro models are expected to be more expensive than the iPhone 17 Pro models, with market research firms estimating that U.S. starting prices could rise by $200 to $300. If so, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max could start at up to $1,399 and $1,499, respectively.

Apple already raised prices on Macs, iPads, and select other products in June, but the iPhone was spared. If Apple can secure lower prices for displays and some other components, then perhaps the price increases expected for the iPhone 18 Pro models will be closer to the $200 mark or less rather than $300, but only time will tell.

Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro models and a foldable iPhone this September, so we are only a month away from official pricing info.
Related Roundup: iPhone 18 Pro

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Apple Patenting Way to Improve Notification Summaries and 'Reduce Interruptions' Focus

12 Augustus 2026 om 18:29
A newly published Apple patent application describes a system for deciding, in real time, whether to interrupt what someone is doing on a device or leave them alone.


The application was filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on February 5, 2026 and published on August 6, 2026, as spotted by patent tracking site Patentlyze. The patent describes how a device can observe what someone is doing, check that behavior against rules for when an interruption is warranted, and only then decide whether to show a prompt.

For example, if someone has been scrolling in an app for a long time, staring at one app, or repeating some other pattern the rules flag, the device would step in. If nothing matches, it does nothing and allows the person to carry on uninterrupted. A second part of the same filing covers turning recent activity into a short summary, so instead of getting interrupted mid-task, someone could check in afterward and see what they had missed.

Apple already ships something conceptually close to both halves of this patent. iOS 18.1 introduced AI-powered notification summaries, which use on-device AI to condense a stack of alerts into a single line, alongside a Reduce Interruptions Focus mode that filters out notifications the system judges unimportant. If Apple built the proposed system into a shipping feature, it looks better suited to sharpening those two tools than replacing them.

Reduce Interruptions currently judges each notification individually, weighing its content and sender to decide whether it counts as important enough to break through. It does not factor in what someone is actively doing on the device at that moment. The mechanism in this patent could add that layer, checking a person's ongoing activity, such as how long they have been on a call or how many times they have reopened an app, before deciding whether an interruption is warranted at all, even for a notification that would otherwise qualify.

Notification summaries could benefit in a similar way. Rather than condensing whatever alerts happen to stack up regardless of context, the patent's summarization element describes building a digest from a person's broader activity, which could let the system hold back a stray or inaccurate summary until it has enough of a pattern to summarize accurately, the kind of context Apple's AI summaries lacked when they generated a false news headline and drew criticism in December 2024.

As with all Apple patent filings, there is no guarantee that this specific system will ship in an actual product, and its docketed but unexamined status means the invention could still be narrowed or rejected before a patent is granted. That being said, the application maps onto features already live on Apple devices, which makes it appear to be less of a shot in the dark than many other patent applications. It could easily be Apple laying the groundwork for where it wants to take Reduce Interruptions and notification summaries next.
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iPhone Ultra's Two Selfie Cameras Could Sit in the Same Corner

12 Augustus 2026 om 18:12
With Apple's upcoming iPhone Ultra there's been a lingering question over the exact placement of the selfie cameras in the device's folded and unfolded states – but today we may have stumbled upon the answer.


Dummy units have suggested a top-centered cut-out for the selfie camera on the outer display of Apple's foldable, while locating the selfie camera for the inner display in the outermost top-left corner. That presents an asymmetry untypical of Apple's designs.

However, screen protectors for the iPhone Ultra that surfaced online today suggest the device's selfie cameras on the inner and outer displays may be located in the same corner of the same half, with one facing out and one facing in.


The screen protectors show a selfie camera cutout on the top-right corner of the outer display when the device is closed. Taken together, the two leaks could imply one front-facing camera zone in a single corner.


Such an arrangement – two slightly offset lenses – could let Apple confine the cutouts and camera modules to a single region of a 4.5mm thick chassis, rather than having them spaced out in different places, which would fit for a device where internal space is at a premium.

Now, accessory makers typically work from leaked CAD files of sometimes dubious accuracy, so a pair of screen protectors can't be considered to provide definitive evidence of a device's design. Our reading also assumes the dummy iPhone Ultra models had one camera placement correct (the top-left inner selfie camera) and one out of whack (the centered outer camera). Even so, the side-by-side internal placement could make sense.

We'll know one way or another soon enough. The iPhone Ultra is expected to be unveiled next month, featuring a 5.5-inch cover display and a 7.8-inch inner display, the A20 Pro chip, Touch ID integrated into the Side button in lieu of Face ID, and a 5,000mAh battery, along with a 48-megapixel dual rear camera system.
Related Roundup: iPhone Fold

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Best Back to School Accessory Deals on Anker, Sony, Samsung and More This Week

12 Augustus 2026 om 16:01
There's a big accessory sale happening on Amazon this week, with the year's best prices on Anker chargers, Samsung monitors, Sonos audio products, and much more.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Highlights this time around include a new batch of audio devices on sale, including the Sonos Ace Headphones for $299.00, down from $399.00, and Sony's WH-1000XM5 Noise Canceling Headphones for $248.00, down from $399.00. Another notable audio discount is on the Soundcore Sleep A30 Earbuds, which are designed to be worn in bed, available for $168.99, down from $229.99.





In terms of monitor and TV deals, there are quite a few Samsung deals happening this week on Amazon. The 32-inch Smart Monitor M9 has hit its second-best price on Amazon at $1,199.99, down from $1,599.99, an all-time low price. You'll also find solid sales on The Frame TVs and Odyssey monitors right now, including a great deal on The Frame TV 55-inch model for $897.99, a solid second-best price.




We're also tracking big discounts from brands like LG, Hisense, iVANKY, Jackery, and more in the lists below. Accessories on sale include USB-C wall chargers, MagSafe-compatible wireless chargers, portable batteries, headphones, docks, and monitors.



Audio




Monitors and TVs




Wall Chargers




Wireless Chargers




Portable Chargers




If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.




Deals Newsletter


Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!




Related Roundup: Apple Deals

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Apple Skipping iPhone 18 Launch This Year

12 Augustus 2026 om 15:59
Apple supplier Pegatron today indirectly confirmed that the standard iPhone 18 model will not be released until next year, according to a new report.


Pegatron held an earnings call for the second quarter of 2026 today. On the call, Taiwan's Economic Daily News said Pegatron indicated that one of its customers will be changing its usual smartphone shipment schedule. As widely expected, the report said Apple plans to release the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and a foldable "iPhone Ultra" this September, followed by the standard iPhone 18 model in the first quarter of 2027.

The standard iPhone 11 through to the iPhone 17 all launched alongside Pro and Pro Max models in September over the years, so the launch of the base model iPhone 18 being postponed until around March 2027 would be a notable change.

Apple's plans to split up the launch of the iPhone 18 series has already been widely rumored by sources such as Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, former The Information reporter Wayne Ma, and others over the past year. Apple supplier Largan Precision also hinted at the change in a similarly indirect way earlier this year.

A lower-end iPhone 18e and an iPhone Air 2 are also expected to be released around March 2027.

In total, six new iPhone models are slated to launch by the end of March:
  • iPhone 18 Pro: September 2026

  • iPhone 18 Pro Max: September 2026

  • iPhone Ultra: September 2026

  • iPhone 18: March 2027

  • iPhone 18e: March 2027

  • iPhone Air 2: March 2027
Related Roundups: iPhone 18, iPhone 18 Pro
Related Forum: iPhone

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'Everyone' at Apple Apparently Calls Foldable 'iPhone Ultra'

12 Augustus 2026 om 15:47
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has said "everyone" inside Apple refers to the company's upcoming foldable iPhone as the "iPhone Ultra" internally, though he cautioned that doesn't necessarily confirm it as the final name.

The comments came in response to Creative Strategies analyst Max Weinbach, who argued the "Ultra" name doesn't fit because Apple's existing Ultra products represent the most capable version of a lineup, and the foldable wouldn't clearly outclass the iPhone Pro the way that positioning implies.
Related Roundup: iPhone Fold

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'iPhone Ultra' Screen Protectors Reveal Asymmetric Corners

12 Augustus 2026 om 14:44
The leaker known as "Ice Universe" today shared images and a hands on video of screen protectors for Apple's rumored "iPhone Ultra," and the leak appears to confirm two of the most discussed details about the foldable's front design.


The leaked accessory has square corners on the side that would sit next to the hinge, and rounded corners on the opposite edge. That asymmetry lines up with months of rumors describing a foldable device with a hinge on one side, and the leak marks one of the clearest looks yet at how the proportions and shape carry over to the cover display itself.

Ice Universe said the shape reflects the protector covering the entire glass panel rather than matching the display area exactly, and that the screen underneath is still expected to have symmetrical rounded corners and uniform bezels on all sides. As shown in multiple previous reports, the screen protectors also corroborate the foldable iPhone's shorter, wider design.

This is the screen protector for the iPhone Ultra. You can see, the iPhone Ultra actually has an irregular screen with one side square and the other round. Oh my God, can you even handle that? pic.twitter.com/qpQHZHiqcD

β€” Ice Universe (@UniverseIce) August 11, 2026


The protector also shows a single punch hole cutout for the front facing camera, positioned on the right side of the panel rather than in the center. Some earlier reports had suggested the cutout could end up centered, so the accessories offer a firmer answer on its placement. Since the β€ŒiPhone Ultraβ€Œ is expected to use Touch ID rather than Face ID, it doesn't need the larger TrueDepth sensor array Face ID requires, clearing the way for a single hole punch camera, which is a first for the iPhone.

I'm sure this is just a misunderstanding - the protective film covers the entire glass panel, not exactly the same as the actual screen display area. The iPhone Ultra screen itself is still a symmetrical rounded rectangle. pic.twitter.com/Iwu52050uw

β€” Ice Universe (@UniverseIce) August 11, 2026


The information comes a few days after leaker Sonny Dickson shared images of protective covers for the β€ŒiPhone Ultraβ€Œ's rear camera module in silver and dark blue finishes. Other rumors point to a 5.5-inch cover display and a 7.8-inch inner display, the A20 Pro chip, and a 5,000mAh battery, as well as a 48-megapixel dual rear camera system and 18-megapixel selfie cameras on both the outer and inner displays. The device is expected to debut alongside the iPhone 18 Pro lineup in mid-September, with a price of at least $2,000.
Related Roundup: iPhone Fold

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Microsoft Edge Browser to Get Apple Account Sign-In Support

12 Augustus 2026 om 14:27
Microsoft is testing support for signing into its Edge browser using your Apple Account, avoiding the need to create a Microsoft account. Two new flags related to the support were spotted by MacMagazine in the latest Edge Canary build, with the feature also rolling out to Edge Beta users.

One of the flags enables Apple Account sign-in for Edge profiles, while the other adds an Apple sign-in button to the profile menu (where a Google Account sign-in option already exists). In its release notes for Edge Beta 152, Microsoft already lists Apple Account sign-in support for Windows and macOS, but describes it as a "controlled rollout," so there may be some delay before all beta users see it.
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Leaker: All-Glass 2027 iPhone Still on Track Despite Cancellation Rumors

12 Augustus 2026 om 13:43
There's been more pushback against the recent analyst report that claimed Apple's all-glass 20th-anniversary iPhone next year has been canceled. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has already responded by saying the "glass-centric" redesign is still on track for 2027, and now a prominent Chinese leaker says the commemorative device indeed remains in active development.


Weibo-based leaker Digital Chat Station identifies the device as having two sizes in equivalent Pro/Pro Max variants, citing the internal codenames V73/V74 previously referenced by Gurman. Based on supply chain information, the leaker says the two new displays have increased in physical size while retaining the same aspect ratio. Their rationale for this is that Apple's borderless four-curved-edge design uses a flat 2D display combined with a glass cover, and takes advantage of the glass's optical refraction and shape to create the visual effect of a display lacking borders.

The description lines up with Gurman's claim that glass is used on the front and back of the phones, with the material curving into the sides, leaving only a small metal band in the middle.

Digital Chat Station's latest post also chimes with an earlier claim of theirs that Apple is testing a slightly larger 6.96-inch display for the device's Pro Max variant, suggesting the OLED panel itself is slightly bigger, but the extra area curves the display further into the device's edges while the chassis remains essentially the same size as the current iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Jefferies analyst Edison Lee caused a stir on Monday when he claimed Apple's rumored all-glass iPhone expected to mark the device's 20th anniversary has been canceled. Gurman soon refuted the claim based on his own information, though he did say that Apple had also considered a "more aspirational version" that "used even more glass" – but this was scrapped early on. It's quite possible that this more ambitious version was the device Lee was referring to in his report.

Either way, today's post from Digital Chat Station adds further weight to the possibility that Lee is off the mark, and that the radically redesigned 20th-anniversary iPhone is still in the works and should arrive in the fall of 2027.
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Samsung is Starting to Catch Up to Apple on Hearing Health

12 Augustus 2026 om 02:01
Samsung today said its Galaxy Buds Hearing Aid feature has been cleared by the U.S. FDA, which means hearing aid capabilities will be coming to the Galaxy Buds in the fourth quarter of 2026.


Samsung will join Apple in offering over-the-counter hearing aid functionality. Apple added an FDA-cleared hearing health feature to the AirPods back in 2024, allowing them to be used as a clinical-grade hearing aid.

Like the AirPods, the Galaxy Buds can replace a hearing aid for mild to moderate hearing loss, and Samsung is introducing a Hearing Test option like Apple did. Galaxy Buds users can do a self-administered hearing test in five minutes and the resulting clinical-grade audiogram can be used to adjust the built-in Hearing Aid feature.

The Galaxy Buds will amplify the sounds users have difficulty hearing, like high frequencies or whispers, which is also how the AirPods work. Noise elimination and beamforming also help Galaxy Buds users by focusing on the sounds in front of the user and suppressing background noise.

Samsung says it worked with the National Acoustic Laboratories and Samsung Medical Center to develop the hearing aid feature set. Hearing Aid features will be available on the Galaxy Buds3 Pro and the Galaxy Buds4 Pro. A newer Samsung Galaxy smartphone that supports One UI 8 or later is required.

After introducing hearing aid features in the U.S. in iOS 18.1, Apple has expanded availability to over 150 countries and regions. Apple had a two-year head start, but Samsung is now starting to catch up with a Galaxy Buds hearing health option that matches most of what the AirPods can do.
Tag: Samsung

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Sonos Preparing AirPods Max Rival With Voice Assistant Support

12 Augustus 2026 om 00:53
Sonos is working on an upgraded version of its Ace headphones that will support AI, reports Bloomberg. The Sonos Ace Ultra showed up in an FCC filing earlier this week, with the product likely set to debut in September.


Sonos debuted the original Sonos Ace in 2024. Reviews praised the sound quality and active noise cancellation, but the headphone market is crowded, and Sonos' product launched shortly after its disastrous app redesign. The headphones also didn't fully integrate with the rest of the Sonos ecosystem, making them unappealing to Sonos users. Sonos ended up selling around 200,000 units, well below the internal one-million target it set.

Bloomberg suggests the new model will kick off Sonos' push into artificial intelligence. The headphones could support voice commands based on info in the filing, allowing them to be used with AI chatbots from third-party companies. Sonos CEO Tom Conrad said last month that AI will be an area of focus, with "conversational computing and predictive intelligence moving into the home."

The headphones will come in Greige, Shadow Black, Agave, Blush, and Sand, according to the FCC filing, but little else is known about them because most of the filing was redacted.

The original Sonos Ace were priced at $449 at launch and were competitive with the AirPods Max. The headphones had an over-ear design similar to the AirPods Max, and the same general feature set. Apple does not have a new version of the AirPods Max coming anytime soon, so the second-generation Sonos Ace headphones will still be pitted against the original AirPods Max design.
Related Roundup: AirPods Max 2
Tag: Sonos
Buyer's Guide: AirPods Max (Buy Now)
Related Forum: AirPods

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Satechi Launches 240W ChargeView Desktop Charger With Six USB-C Ports

12 Augustus 2026 om 00:30
Satechi today launched the ChargeView 240W Desktop Charger, a successor to the 140W ChargeView released last year. The ChargeView 240W can power multiple devices at one time, splitting 240W across six USB-C ports.


The ChargeView 240W has an LCD display that shows the live wattage of all ports that are in use. The C1 and C2 ports offer up to 140W each, while ports C3 and C4 can deliver up to 100W each. The final two ports offer up to 30W. These are maximum power levels, and actual wattage will vary based on how many ports are used at one time. If all six ports are in use, power would be split 70W/70W/30W/30W/20W/20W.

Satechi is offering the ChargeView in Space Black, and it has a metallic matte finish with a glossy display cover. The Space Black shade is meant to complement Apple devices like the MacBook Pro and Studio Display. There is an included stand that allows the ChargeView to be used in horizontal or vertical orientation on a desktop.

The ChargeView uses GaN technology so it is compact, and it has no fan, so it operates silently. Satechi notes that the device will redistribute power when a new device is plugged in, so there can be a momentary interruption in charging.

The ChargeView 240W can be purchased from the Satechi website or from Amazon for $149.99.
Tag: Satechi

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