Consumer technology maker Ugreen has announced HomeAgent, its first smart home platform, combining security camera storage, on-device AI, and Matter-based device control in a single hub.


The hub is capable of processing and storing camera footage, files, and other media with no monthly storage fee. Ugreen says the onboard AI can also identify people, vehicles, pets, and packages in footage, as well as summarize events and search recorded video by keyword.

The hub is then able to create highlight reels from camera footage as well as stored photo libraries, and it can display them on Ugreen's Gallery LCD Smart Frames.

The hub works as a Matter controller and can talk to third-party devices over Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Thread, Bluetooth, NFC, ONVIF/RTSP, and PoE. Ugreen's compatibility list includes devices from Aqara, ThirdReality, SwitchBot, and Eve, with the company promising more third-party support to come, though the initial phase is limited to lights, switches, sensors, and curtains.

All of this can be controlled by talking to the onboard AI assistant Uliya, which can also check live status or event history, and can generate voice notifications for events like packages arriving or the sound of a baby crying.

The hub is available in three configurations, each with increasing levels of AI processing power. The entry-level HA100 comes with storage, camera security, and device control, and responds to voice commands, while the HA100 Pro offers faster network connectivity and more compute for heavier workloads.


Then there's the MasterAgent Ma100, which runs on NVIDIA's Jetson Thor T5000 platform. Ugreen says it runs at up to 2,070 FP4 TFLOPS of local compute and calls it the hub for larger models juggling multiple devices and tasks at once.

Preorders for all hub models are open now on Ugreen's website, with a $50 deposit securing 50% off ahead of a Kickstarter campaign that starts on October 27. Early bird pricing for the three models is $899, $2,999, and $9,999, respectively.

Elsewhere, Ugreen has also launched a 25W MagFlow Pro Magnetic Power Bank, featuring a 10,000mAh battery. The company is touting it as the world's first liquid-cooled Qi2 power bank, since it features a micro-pump that circulates coolant behind a transparent window, so you can actually watch it flowing around inside.


The MagFlow Pro costs $149.99 and is available now from Ugreen and Amazon.

The company has also launched a MagFlow Pro 3-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charging Stand 25W, priced at $159.99, also available from Ugreen and Amazon.

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Apple last month only managed to produce "a few hundred units a day" of its upcoming foldable iPhone because of the company's extremely high quality control standards, according to Nikkei Asia ($), citing supply chain sources.


From today's report:

"Production is ramping up slowly, with output currently at only a few hundred units a day in late August. That initial volume could be challenging to meet market demand," one supply chain manager with knowledge of the matter told Nikkei Asia.

Multiple reports have suggested the iPhone Ultra's production has faced hurdles because of how difficult the device is to build, with the hinge structure and display durability testing having been the principal bottlenecks. 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, Nikkei previously reported.

But the publication's sources now claim that Apple carried out an additional verification process in August for the foldable iPhone to make sure it can be mass-produced according to its specified design. "The surface flatness and the performance of the hinge are among the details where Apple is asking for better production yields," a person with knowledge of the matter told Nikkei.

All of this has apparently "pushed back commercial production for weeks," suggesting Apple could fall short of its production target unless it can ramp up output more quickly. Apple and its suppliers are said to be working "around the clock" to ramp up production and avoid limited stocks at distribution centers.

It sounds like timing couldn't be tighter for Apple's foldable. A previous report even suggested the device could face a staggered market launch, with availability initially limited to the U.S.

However things pan out, Apple is still expected to unveil the iPhone Ultra alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max on Wednesday, September 9 at the company's "Surprise and shine" event. For everything we know about the device, be sure to check out our latest roundup.


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Apple appears to be working on some major new HomePod home theater features, including a four-speaker surround sound system and a new "Party Mode," according to code found in audioOS 27 beta 8, and shared on the MacRumors forums by member pdfu.


References in the software for the second-generation HomePod suggest the ability to tune for a setup with front-left, front-right, rear-left, and rear-right HomePods. The four-speaker surround configuration references automatic room calibration, speaker-position mapping, timing adjustments, bass management, EQ, dialogue enhancement, and different processing modes for movies and music.

For stereo content, the code suggests the ability to either spatialize sound across all four speakers or limit traditional stereo playback to the two front speakers.

The files also reference a new tuning system called "Forklift" that combines two second-generation HomePods with two speakers that use an unidentified AID12007 hardware family. We haven't seen this identifier before – it doesn't correspond to any existing HomePod models – suggesting it refers to a future HomePod mini, third-generation HomePod, or some other unreleased audio device.

In addition, Apple appears to be working on a new "Party Mode" feature for stereo-paired HomePods. The feature applies a more diffuse sound field that's designed to spread sound more evenly across the room for a more immersive listening experience, rather than optimizing playback for a single listening position.

The Home app and Apple TV do not currently provide a way to configure four HomePods as a surround system. Indeed, none of these features have been referenced before. All we can say at this point is that they indicate that Apple is testing them, but whether Apple ultimately releases them remains to be seen.

A new HomePod mini, a new Apple TV, and an all-new Apple smart home hub are all coming soon, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, so it's possible that these features could be part of Apple's broader Home refresh. Watch this space.
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We are just five sleeps away from Apple's unveiling of its new-generation iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models, not forgetting its first foldable iPhone.


Apple is expected to introduce the devices at its annual iPhone fall event, which is this year carrying the tagline "Surprise and shine." The event takes place on Wednesday, September 9. To help you get some shuteye in the meantime, here's a rundown of the features we're expecting from Apple's iPhone 18 Pro models.

• Overall Design: The iPhone 18 Pro models are expected to stick to the overall iPhone 17 Pro design, but they could feature a more seamless rear casing with less contrast between the glass and aluminum frame.


• Battery Life: The iPhone 18 Pro Max is rumored to feature a larger 5,100–5,200 mAh battery and a slightly thicker, heavier design as a result.


• Smaller Dynamic Island: Apple is expected to shrink the Dynamic Island, made possible by moving some Face ID components beneath the display.


• Upgraded Display: The iPhone 18 Pro models are said to use a more power-efficient LTPO+ display, supplied by Samsung Display and LG Display.


• A20 Pro Chip: Apple's next-generation chip will use TSMC's advanced 2nm process, including Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module (WMCM) technology, which should bring improvements to performance and power efficiency.


• C2 Modem: Apple's next-generation in-house cellular modem could feature in the Pro models, offering faster speeds, and improved efficiency. However, it's possible the C2 still lacks mmWave capability, and that the devices will use a Qualcomm modem in the United States and Apple's C2 modem in other parts of the world.


• New Camera Sensor: Samsung is believed to have developed a new three-layer stacked image sensor for the iPhone 18 Pro lineup that improves responsiveness, noise, and dynamic range.


• Variable Aperture: The 48-megapixel Fusion camera on both iPhone 18 Pro models is expected to gain a variable aperture for greater control over light and depth of field.


• 5G Satellite Internet: The iPhone 18 Pro models could support full 5G connectivity via satellite, which would be quite an expansion of Apple's existing satellite-based emergency features.


• Simplified Camera Control: Apple is said to have redesigned the Camera Control button to use pressure sensing without a separate capacitive layer, simply to reduce complexity and cost.


• New Colors: Apple has reportedly tested several new finishes, but we're betting on these three: Light Blue, Dark Cherry, and Silver. We no longer expect a Black option.


• iOS 27: The iPhone 18 Pro will ship with iOS 27 and its overhauled Siri AI experience, which includes onscreen awareness, personal context, web knowledge, and expanded Apple Intelligence features.

Apple has held its fall event in the first two weeks of September in each of the last several years, with new iPhones typically going on sale the following Friday. It has been rumored that iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max pre-orders will begin on Saturday, September 12 at 12 a.m. Pacific Time this year.

Note that Apple isn't going to release a standard iPhone 18 in September 2026. The lineup will focus on its latest premium iPhones. The ‌iPhone 18‌, iPhone 18e, and iPhone Air 2 will come out in spring 2027 instead. For everything we know about the foldable "iPhone Ultra," be sure to check out our dedicated roundup.
This article, "Five Sleeps Until iPhone 18 Pro: Here's What We Know" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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